Japan has joined U.S.-led maritime humanitarian exercises off the Philippines for the first time, as concerns mount among the three allies about China's growing assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea. A Japanese navy replenishment ship was in Subic Bay, a former U.S. naval base, to refuel a U.S. Navy floating hospital en route to Vietnam for the seven-nation humanitarian mission. It was the first time a Japanese navy ship has taken part in the humanitarian assistance and disaster relief drills although a flotilla of Japanese training vessels, including a submarine, makes annual port calls in Manila. Rear Admiral Charles Williams, commander of U.S. Seventh Fleet's Task Force 73, said humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercises were becoming a regular component of military exercises in the Philippines. "You are seeing in exercises ... a shift from strictly bilateral engagement to multilateral, which is why you see the Japanese here today," Williams told journalists … [Read more...] about Japan joins U.S.-Philippine humanitarian drills amid China sea dispute
East china sea dispute
South China Sea disputes: Chinese historical evidence found wanting
"Historical evidences" of some Chinese scholars are vague, erroneous or blatantly false, relying as they do on uncorroborated evidence, faulty logic, misquotes, misinterpretations and outright inventions. In response to Bill Hayton's commentary The Paracels: Historical Evidence Must Be Examined, Professor Li Dexia and Researcher Tan Keng Tat published their commentary South China Sea Disputes: China Has Evidence Of Historical Claims. These two authors asserted that to properly address Hayton's issue would require a monograph and pointed to the Philippines' 4000-page legal brief as an example. One would expect therefore that in that short commentary they would have selected only the strongest evidences from centuries of historical records to support their arguments. Let us look at some of these evidences (some of which were recycled in their Eurasia Review article Xisha (Paracel) Islands: The Inconvenient Truth). 2. Li and Tan quoted from the 13th century book 'Chu Fan Chi' which … [Read more...] about South China Sea disputes: Chinese historical evidence found wanting
Obama puts South China Sea dispute on agenda as summitry begins
U.S. President Barack Obama put tensions over Beijing's claims to the South China Sea squarely on the agenda ahead of an Asia-Pacific summit on Tuesday, pointedly visiting the main warship of close ally the Philippines shortly after he landed in Manila. While Obama affirmed a commitment to the Philippines' security and to freedom of navigation in regional waters, a senior official in Beijing said China was the real victim of the waterway dispute because other countries had illegally occupied islands there. The verbal jousting could cast a shadow over the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit of about 20 heads of state and government, including Chinese President Xi Jinping. Manila has said it will not bring up the maritime dispute to avoid embarrassing Xi, but could not prevent others from doing so. Xi also arrived in Manila on Tuesday, but did not make any public comments. Shortly after Air Force One touched down in Manila, Obama boarded the Gregorio del Pilar, a Philippines … [Read more...] about Obama puts South China Sea dispute on agenda as summitry begins
Japan demands China halt oil exploration in part of East China Sea
Japan called on China on Tuesday to halt construction of oil-and-gas exploration platforms in the East China Sea close to waters claimed by both nations, concerned that Chinese drills could tap reservoirs that extend into Japanese territory. Japan's Defense Ministry added the demand to its annual defense review after hawkish members of the ruling party complained that its original draft was too soft on China, a ministry official said. China resumed exploration in the East China Sea two years ago, the report said. In 2012, Japan's government had angered Beijing and purchased a disputed island chain there. Before then, Beijing had curtailed activities under an agreement with Japan to jointly develop undersea resources in disputed areas. "We have confirmed that China has started construction of new ocean (exploration) platforms and we repeat our opposition to unilateral development by China and call for a halt," the ministry said. The platforms are being erected on the Chinese side of a … [Read more...] about Japan demands China halt oil exploration in part of East China Sea
US House passes resolution on East Sea and East China Sea
(VOVworld) - The US House of Representatives passed a resolution on December 4 emphasizing the need for a peaceful solution to maritime and jurisdictional disputes in the East Sea and the East China Sea on the basis of international law. The resolution shows the deep concern of US lawmakers about the increasingly complicated developments in the region and re-affirms the US government’s strong support for freedom of navigation and other internationally lawful uses of sea and airspace in the Asia-Pacific region. It condemns coercive actions or the use of force to impede these freedoms in international maritime domains and airspace, and urges the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), US allies and partners, and all claimants to seek peaceful solutions to disputes by fully abiding by the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, towards formulating the Code of Conduct in the East Sea. On November 20, the resolution was approved by the House Committee on … [Read more...] about US House passes resolution on East Sea and East China Sea